“That’s not fair.”

“Life isn’t fair.”

“Another old line.”

“Well, it defines my life, so whatever.” I leaned over the pavement and continued my drawing.

Thirty minutes later, Liana and I decided the poor lighting from the sunset was not good enough to keep drawing, and we stopped, but not before taking a few pictures of our masterpiece.

“Seriously, you two are talented,” Mason said.

Liana beamed at him. “We know!”

Noticing a few people taking pictures of the drawings too, I stepped away. It wouldn’t be pretty if my mother saw those pictures some way or another, and found me covered in chalk dusk, on roller skates in a public park, along with Liana and a waiter.

I picked up the box of chalk, or the little that remained of it, and skated away, back to the car. The chilly wind whipped my hair over my shoulders, and I inhaled, savoring the rich green smell of the park, trying to calm down.

At the edge of the parking lot, I took off my skates, put on my sandals, and walked to my car.

“Are you running away?” Mason asked, catching up with me.

“Not really. I just needed to get away from there.” I threw my skates inside the trunk and spied over my shoulder. “Where is Liana?”

“She’s coming,” Mason assured me.

Of course, the super-attuned Liana stayed behind to give us a chance to talk a little more.

I left the trunk wide open and reached for the car’s door.

Mason leaned against it. “You know what I think?” He didn’t wait for my answer and said, “That we’ll keep meeting like this, unintentionally. You know why? Because we should be together.”

I crossed my arms. “Don’t tell me you believe in destiny, karma, or fairy tales.”

“I guess I don’t, but it’s kinda hard to deny. Look at us. We’ve met thousands of miles away, had the most amazing time together, then, out of nowhere, here we are, crossing each other’s paths.”

“If this is a fairy tale, then who is my mother? The evil queen?” Despite the nickname Liana gave my mother, I tried not to think about it. There were moments I hated my life and what my mother imposed on me, but I could never think of my mother as an evil being.

“I don’t know. Maybe she isn’t. Maybe the evil queen is the situation. You being a lady of status, and me being a poor guy struggling to pay my bills.”

“If it was only that, I wouldn’t care.”

He reached out and took my hand. The flapping of the butterfly wings brushed against the walls of my stomach. “Are you admitting you like me?”

Holding his stare, I took a deep breath, and then whispered, “I never lied about it, but you never asked too.”

Mason pulled me closer to him. I didn’t fight it. “Do you like me?”

My gaze fell to my feet. “It doesn’t matter. The answer won’t change the outcome.”

“It matters to me.” Mason tilted his head and urged me to look at him again. “Do you like me?”

Another deep breath. “I do, but—”

My words were interrupted when he leaned into me and his lips claimed mine. I froze for a moment, numb and disconcerted. Then my mind filled with the memories of us tangled under my sheets, and the sweet taste of his mouth inebriated me. I responded with the same vigor and hunger. His hands snaked around me, holding my back, pulling me closer against him.

For a long time, we kissed, our tongues exploring, our hands rediscovering our bodies. He pressed me against the car and wedged his knee between my legs, making a moan escape my throat. God, how I had missed him.

Breathing hard, Mason pulled back, but kept his arms secured around me. “Now you can’t pretend anymore.”

Thwarted, I stepped back, prying his arms from me. “No. It’s not fair. To you. I can’t date you in public. I can’t … I can’t be seen with you. You understand that, don’t you?”

His eyes bore into mine, intense as ever. “I do, and I don’t care.”

“Why don’t you care?”

He shrugged. “Because I want you. I want to be with you.”

“You can’t be serious.”

Mason grabbed my hand and pulled me closer again. “I am.”

I sought any trace of doubt or mischief in his eyes, and found none. My heart beat faster. “This isn’t going to be easy.”

His fingertips brushed my face. “No, it won’t, but we can make it.”

Charlotte

After getting home from Washington, I waited for my mother in her study.

I had tried to rehearse what to say, but nothing seemed right. I thought about postponing this conversation, but it wouldn’t be right. I had to do it now, even if I had to make something up on the spot.

Butterflies—of excitement and nervousness—danced in my belly. I couldn’t believe I had given in. I was dating Mason! I could tap dance over my mother’s desk. Then she would ground me for the next century and I wouldn’t be able to sneak out to see Mason.

I watched the clock on the wall. Nine at night on Monday. She was probably out for a business dinner.

Almost an hour later, Peyton walked into the study, her assistant, Sarah, following close.

“Charlotte, what are you doing here?” Peyton asked, strolling to her chair.

I eyed Sarah, then my mother. “Can I talk to you? Privately?”

With narrowed eyes, Peyton nodded to Sarah. When she was gone, my mother sat down and stared at me. “What is it?”

I took a deep breath. “I would like you to stop scheduling dates with Donnie,” I said, willing my voice to be calm and steady. “I don’t like him the way you want me to.”

My mother leaned back in her chair and laughed. “Oh, Charlotte, I thought this was serious.”

“This is serious.”

The smiled slipped off her face. “I don’t see why you don’t like him. He’s handsome, polite, educated, and rich.”

Rich. That should have been the first thing my mother said, since it was probably the first on her list.

“I know—”

“Then why? I don’t understand.”

“He’s not my type, Mom. I don’t think I can fall in love with him.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Charlotte. This was never about falling in love.”

“What?”

“Do you think I was in love with your father when we got married? That came years later.”

So Stone Age. “I’m sorry, but I don’t want a relationship like that.”

My mother’s eyes hardened. “If your father could listen to you right now. He would be heartbroken.”

The your-father card, of course she would throw that at me. “Mom, that’s not—”

“Charlotte, listen to me. Donnie is the perfect man. Just give him a chance and I guarantee you’ll fall in love with him.”

I gave him more than one chance. “You’re not listening to me.”

“No. You’re not listening to me. I’m your mother and I know what’s best for you. Didn’t your father always say that? That you should listen to me because I know what’s best for you? I’m telling you now. You won’t find any man better than Donnie.”

“Mom, please, try to understand.”

“Enough, Charlotte. Donnie deserves a chance and you’ll give him one.” She turned her back to me. “Now let me work. I need to make a call now, if you’ll excuse me.”

I had tried. I had at least tried. I wouldn’t give up yet, but I needed to do this slowly. I came knocking and left a message. Next time, I would force my mother to open the door, even if I wasn’t allowed in. Someday I would be.

Although, when I stood and left, I had this feeling that I would never succeed.

Charlotte

I arrived at Mason’s building ten minutes early. Should I wait outside, or just go in? I laughed, looking at my sweaty palms. I felt like a thirteen-year-old girl waiting for my first kiss.

Taking a deep breath, I let the memories of spring break fill my mind. I had never been nervous around Mason before. Quite the contrary. I had been a confident seductress, and that was how I wanted to be again.